Apparatus for the extraction of tannin.



No. 823,508. PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906;

A L. OASTETS. APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION 0F TANNIN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.Zyrl

Wfzijnesses.

110. 823,508. PATENTED JUNE 19, 19 06.

L. GASTBTS. APPARATUS FOR THE BXTRAGTION OF-TANNIN'.

-AP1LIOATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T specification.

LOUIS CASTETIS, "OF DAX, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR 'THE EXTRACTION .QF TANNIN- "Applieationfiled September 12, .1904. Serial No-224g163.

{[0 (Lil whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, LOUIS'CASTETS, manufacturenacitizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of 53 Rue Vincent de Paul, Dax, Landes, France, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for-the Extraction-of Tannin-at a Low 'Teme perature and at a Low *Pressure; and I do ereby declare thefollowing tobe a'full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled .in the art 'to nyingdrawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, "which form apart of this This-invention relates toapparatus foruse in'the extraction .of tanninat a low temperature and atalow pressure, such apparatus permitting the tanner to "prepare the liquors himself, thus affording the advantage of always being able ,to-employthem in afresh condition.

The materials to be treated are placed in the water is brought into contact with more and more-highly charged materials as the water itself becomes increasingly charged with tannin.

The vacuum maintained in the apparatus has the-'effectiof openingthe pores of'the materials under treatment, and consequently of facilitating the withdrawalof-the tannin. It has the further advantage of maintaining :a comparatively low temperature in the apxparatus, so as to prevent thecarrying-along of coloring and resinous matters, which are very detrimental in the production of leather, Moreover, the exclusion of air 'tendsto prevent the oxidation which occurs when a liquid is brought into contact with vegetable substances, and consequently to sensibly diminish the coloring agents. Finally, the vacuum maintained-in the apparatus permits of the introduction of the liquid into the receptacles and its transfer from one receptacle to the next by the difference of pressure, aswill be hereinafter explained.

'ilsh'e liquors obtained-aresubsequently'con- *veyed to a special receptacle, Where they are submitted to clarification, which frees zthem from-foreign matters and coloringagents or other impuritiescarri'ed along by them.

;Specification ,of Letters Patent.

xatentedilune 519,;190'6.

. form of apparatus "for the extraction of {tannin according-to thepresentiinvention. Fig. "2 is a side elevationof't'he other portion zof '6c the apparatus shown :in '1, the two-figures showinga complete apparatus. Fig. :3 is a horizontal section of the special rekaeptacle in which the Eliquorsare clarified.

A'n air-pump- (notrepresented in-the draw- 6 5 ings) is employed which is "capable of :Inaintaining a vacuum :of about seventy-five centimeters of mercury throughout "the apparatus. This pump, through .a tube b of copper or'other suitable material, isin communi- 7o cation with a "wooden receptacle 0. wooden receptacle, mountedzon any suitable support 0, is preferably of cylindrical iform in order to offer 'more efficient resistance to the external atmospheric pressure. It is provided with a level-gage-d,.-avacuum gage e, and a discharge-valve f. It is connected "by a tube-g, of'copper or-other suitablezmaterial, with a collecting-pipe h of t'he same r-ma terial. Such collecting-pipe h is provided 30 with a certainnuniber of branch pipes*s'ix, for example-which*place'sa'me in'commlrnication with the same fIlllHlbGI' :of receptacles in which the extraction and clarification :EDIG effected. These six receptacles should also be of a material which is unaifected by the liquors, preferably of copper. They are mounted on trunnionswhich permit of them being turned over.

Thefive first-receptacles"5 t "l i tiareiden- 0 tical and furnished with the same fitti'rigs. 'They are of cyli'ndrical form, closed ateachsend by hemispherical heads-or caps. "The lower head is rivetedto the-cylindrical body. who

upper head forms a cover and makes rati'ght 5 a mounted. Within the coverand a' littlelbe 1:1;10

low the observation-openings is fixed a plate of copper or other suitable material, and which is perforated and forms a sieve. Toward the middle of the cylindrical body the receptacle t is provided with a cock p, to which is fitted a tube (1 following the inner wall of the receptacle and descending to the bottom of the lower hemispherical head. A little above the bottom of this head a plate r,

IQ of copper or other unattackable material, is

fixed. Beside the cock p, and preferably little above same, a second cock 8 of the same size is arranged, fitted with two tubes t and u, the total section. 1 area of which equals that'of the cock 8. The tube 15 descends along the well of the cylinder as f; r asthe beginning ofthe hemispheric 1 portion, where it is bent horizont lly in the direction from left to right, describing a quarter-circle. The :0 tube a h" s simply the form of a qu rter of a .circle, which follows the inside of the cylindric l w ll .t the height of the cock .9 and in the direction from right to left in such w: y th t the two tubes re situ-ted di metric lly 2 5 opposite, but t different levels.

The fourrecept cles i i i i (re identicxl to the recept-cle-i. 1 They are provided with thesame ccessories, which are indic' ted by the saine letters on the drawings as the recep- -3 tacle if;- but the letters for e: ch receptacle ,bear the same numeral as the receptacle itself.

The sixth receptacle i presents the same .exterior form as the five others. On the 3 5 summitof the :cover is fixed an iron ring j, which permits of its manipulation. This cover also carries a third cock is, which 1 places the sixth receptacle in communicationwith the collecting-pipe, a small cock m 4 for the admission of air, a vacuum-gage n, and finally "a cock 8- of the same size as the cock 8 of the other receptacles. The cylindrical part is fitted with a liquid-level gage running the whole of its length, (indicated .45 .at '0' in Fig 2.) This sixth receptacle is provi'ded inside with a cooling or refrigerating apparatus and may advantageously be fitted with an electric thermometer i having a movable contact connected outside with an elec- 6o is created throughout the apparatus by opening all the cooks k and actuating the suctionpump. Then water is introduced into the receptacle No. 1 through the cock 8 up to the level of the glass observation-openings l.

.When this water has remained a longer or shorter time in the receptacle i, the cock 7c is closed, the cocks p of No. 1 and s of No. 2 are connected by a flexible tube, (not shown,) and the cocks m p s are opened. A'certain quantity of air enters receptacle No. 1 through its cock'm, drives the liquid which it contains into No. 2, where it enters through the cock 3 and by the tubes t The special arrangement of these tubes inside the receptacle causes agitation and a whirling action of the liquid upon the active materials, which favors the extr. ction of the tannin. This transfusion completed, the cocks m p s are closed, the communication is cut off, and the cock is of No. 1 is agrin opened to reest" blish the v: ccum. Then the latter recept; cle is refilled by introducing water through the cock 8 up to the level of the observationopening Z. As the liquid transfused from No. 1 to No. 2 does not att: in the level of the glass observ tion-openings, (on account of the liquid which the m' terials of No. 1 have ,imbibed,) a fresh quantity of liquid is transfused from No. 1 to No. 2 in the same manner s previously, after which No. 1 is again filled. The operations above described are repeated for the transfusion from No. 2 to No. 3, from No. 3 to No. 4, and from No. 4 to No. 5, always bringing the level of the liquid up to the glass observation-openings, with the exception of the receptacle No. 5, for which the level need not be considered. The series of five receptacles will thus be brought into operation. When it has remained in contact with the tannin materials for a sufiicient period, the liquid from No. 5 is transfused through the cock 8 into receptacle i, where it is submitted to the clarification operation to be hereinafter described. The liquid from No. 5 having been evacuated, that of No. 4 is transfused to No. 5, No. 3 to No. 4, No.2 to No. 3, and No. 1 to No. 2. As at this time the materials of No. 1 are exhausted, (the number of receptacles being calculated for this purpose,)' this receptacle is isolated by by closing cook Air is allowed to enter through cock m, and the cover is removed by means of a tackle (not shown) connected to the ring The receptacle is caused to pivot upon its two trunnions "i and the exhausted materials are turned out and replaced by an equal quantity of fresh materials. The receptacle is then turned back into position and the cover replaced. The cock Ir." is reopened, so as to reestablish a vacuum in the receptacle t, which from then takes the number of rotation 5, while 2" becomes No. 1, i No. 2, i No. 3, and i No. 4. The liquid is then caused to pass from i into i, where it comes into contact with the fresh material. The liquid is transfused from i into i from i into i from i into i Finally water is introduced into i to the desired level. When the liquid of No. 1 has remained a sufficient time in contact with the tannin materials, it

' .isztransf s d.int. N9 .6, and heseries .o 019-" .eration -is restarted, taking off the order of rotation byonefigure.

Duringthe progress ofthe operations it is advantageous to leave the .valvesan slightly open either during the whole .time'or fora part of the time only, so .as to allowa fine stream of air to penetrate .to the interior of the receptacles, whichdilates and lowers the temperature. This air is drawn off as ,it is supplied by theair-pump, which is. calculated so as to maintain a vacuum in the-apparatus ,ofabout seventy-five-centimeters of mercury,

forthe effect of the vacuum does :not become efiicacious if such vacuum is not carried sufficiently far, and the results areall the more rapid and the juices or liquors all themore concentratedas the vacuum createdishigher.

The vegetable materials in the copper receptacles t" i t i 71 underthe action of the vacuum in swelling, have atendencyto float. It is in order to prevent this inconvenience that the perforated plateso are placed in the covers to retain the whole .mass firmly in the liquid. The perforated plates 1 at the lower part of .the receptacles prevent the solid materials from passing from one .receptacle to another and obstructing the tubes.

The action ofthe vacuum has the eifectof inducingtheformation ofa plentiful froth or foam which floats above the liquid. This foam is carried ofl .into the collecting-pipe .h and thence :fiows .into the wooden vessel a, where it collects and becomes converted into liquid. This liquid, which containsa certain proportion of tannin, may'be advantageously I employed in lace of water for filling the copper receptac es. So as to' accelerate the exhaustion of the materials it is as well to open the cooks 'm from time to time to introduce a fine stream of air into the receptacles, which energetically agitates the liquid, producing whirling motions in all directions and which by its dilatation further lowers the temperature.

During the progress of the preceding operations certain foreign bodies-such as resins, coloring-matter, or other impuritiesmay have been carried away in the juices or liquors at the same time as the tannin. It is therefore necessary to cause these juices or liquors to undergo an operation of clarification, and it is for this purpose that the sixth receptacle i is provided, to which are conveyed the juices or liquors which have passed through the five first receptacles. In this sixth receptacle the juices or liquors are treated at a low temperature and in vacuo, cold as well as a vacuum having the property of precipitating heavy bodies. For this purpose the sixth receptacle communicates by a cock 7c and a flexible metallic tube with the collector h-that is to say, with the air-pump which produces the vacuum therein. further provided with a refrigerating or cool- It is ,ing apparatus. This refrigerator .may, for -example, be .Onthe air-expansion system and extremity terminates at the cover of the receptacle i and. opens out in the-interior thereof, thus communicating with the air-pump. Atits other extremity each tube ofthe set'or cluster carries a small cock .2, which is opened to a smaller or greater extent. these cocks 2 into the tubular set orcluster, in which the pump maintains a vacuum, and

it-dilates, producing a-more or less intense cold, whichis regulated by the opening ofthe cocks. The foreign bodies are precipitated .in the lower hemispherical portion of the receptacle, and the clarified juices orv liqEors are run off through the discharge-coo w,

.placedat .the bottom of thecylindrical part.

I It will be very evident-that the apparatus above described may besubjectedto certain modifications, either as to the arrangement or the number of its elementsoras to the details of construction without in any way departing from the principle of the invention.

What I claim'as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

v1. An apparatus for the extraction of tannin under the action of cold and in 'uawuo, comprising ,a series of receptacles each provided with a removable cover; two trun- Air enters by' nions two cocksenabling them to be placed in communication with the other receptacles; a descending tube fitted to one of these cocks; two tubes bent horizontally in opposite directions and fitted to the other of the cooks; an air-admission cock, and with a branch tube from a common conduit adapted to be connected with an air-pump a clarifying-recePtacle in communication with the above-named vacuum-conduit, and capable of connection with the last extraction vessel, and provided with an air-admission cock and a means of refrigerating or cooling.

2. An apparatus for the extraction of tannin under the action of cold and in vacuo, comprisin a series of receptacles each provided wit a removable cover; two .trunnions; two cocks enabling them to be placed in communication with the other receptacles; a descending tube fitted to one of these cocks; two tubes bent horizontally in opposite directions and fitted to the other of the cocks; an air-admission cock, and with a branch tube from a common conduit adapted tobe connected with an air-pump a clarifying-receptacle in communication with the above-named vacuum-conduit, and capable of connection with the last extraction vessel, and provided with an air-admission cock and means of refrigerating or cooling; a receptacle situated in the course of said vacuumconduit and serving to receive the froths or foams containing tannin.

3. An apparatus for the extraction of tannin under the action of cold and in vacuo, comprising a series of receptacles each provided with a removable cover; two trunnions; upper and lower perforated false bottoms, two cocks enabling each receptacle to be placed in communication with the others; a descending tube fitted to one of said cocks; two tubes bent horizontally in opposite directions and fitted to the other of the cooks; an air-admission cock, and with a branch tube from a common conduit adapted to be connected with an air-pump a clarifying-receptacle in communication with the abovenamed vacuum-conduit, and capable of connection with the last extraction vessel, and provided with an air-admission cock and a means of refrigerating or cooling.

4. An apparatus for the extraction of tannin under the action of cold and in vacuo, comprising a series of receptacles each provided with a removable cover; two trune nions; two cocks enabling them to be placed in communication with the other receptacles; a descending tube fitted to one of these cooks; two tubes bent horizontally in opposite directions and fitted to the other of the cooks; an air-admission cock, and with a branch tube from a common conduit adapted to be connected with an air-pump a clarifying-receptacle in communication with the abovenamed vacuum-conduit, and capable of connection with the last extraction vessel and provided with an air-admission cock and a set or cluster of tubes subjected to the action of a vacuum and in which adjustable cocks permit of the entrance of atmospheric air which dilates therein.

5. An apparatus for the extraction of tannin comprising a series of receptacles adapted to hold a quantity of material to be treated, a vacuum-conduit communicating with said receptacles, means for introducing a quantity of liquid into one of said receptacles, means for transferring said liquid from said receptacle directly into another receptacle, means for agitating the material in the receptacle, means for cooling the liquid after agitation, and a receptacle for receiving the cooled liquid.

6. An apparatus for the extraction of tannin comprising a series of receptacles adapted to hold a quantity of material to be treated, a vacuum-conduit, means connecting each receptacle with said conduit, cooks for establishing communication between the receptacles, a tube descending from one cock, pipes branching from the other cook, a clarifying apparatus in communication with the vacuum-oonduit, and a refrigerating-receptacle adapted to communicate with the aforesaid. receptacles and the vacuum-conduit.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS OASTETS.

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER BEIUROTH, ALOIDE FABE. 

